The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) rejected the Department of Education's (DepEd) defense of the three-term school calendar, saying the claimed consultations do not reflect teachers' actual experiences on the ground.
In Manila, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) rejected the Department of Education's (DepEd) defense of the three-term school calendar on Monday. ACT chairperson Ruby Bernardo said many teachers were caught off guard by the announcement, contradicting DepEd's claim of extensive consultations. “If there was truly broad consultation, why were so many teachers surprised by such a major policy shift? An orientation cascade cannot be equated with meaningful participation of teachers in policymaking,” Bernardo said. DepEd defended the policy as the result of exhaustive, multi-level consultations with teachers, school leaders, parents, learners, and representatives from public and private sectors amid criticisms from teachers' groups. Bernardo acknowledged the need to address learning gaps but warned that rushed reforms would worsen problems. She noted the shift fails to tackle root causes of the learning crisis—teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, lack of materials, and low salaries—while adding burdens on teachers. She drew parallels to the K-12 rollout, where teachers had warned that structural issues were overlooked in favor of unsupported changes.
